PENGUIN GROUP USA/BERKLEY AND MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE PRESENTS….
DEBUT AUTHOR: DEBORAH MICHEL!!
MEET DEBORAH!!!
(image from the author’s website)
Deborah Michel, a seasoned magazine editor and freelance writer, has worked for many publications, including Premiere,Self, Los Angeles , and the Los Angeles Times Magazine. She was the West Coast editor of Spyand served as a contributing editor at Buzz. Michel grew up in Los Angeles , graduated from Dartmouth , and holds an MFA from Bennington . She lives with her family in northern California .
Visit her online at http://www.deborahmichel.net/
PRESENTING DEBUT AUTHOR: DEBORAH MICHEL AND “ PROSPER IN LOVE”!!
Good morning, Deborah and welcome to My Book Addiction and More.
Thank you, I’m thrilled to be invited. Prosper in Love is my first book, so this is all new to me.
MBA&M: Please tell our readers a few tidbits about Deborah Michel?
DEBORAH: Well, I worked as a magazine writer for years, first in New York and then in Los Angeles, where I’m from—for magazines like House Beautiful, Self, Premiere, Los Angeles. Most of that time, I was also trying to write a novel, and there’s at least one that should never see the light of day. I have twin daughters who are about to graduate from high school, so maybe that goes a little way in explaining why finishing a novel took me so long.
MBA&M: Where did the idea Prosper In Love come from?
DEBORAH: I stole it! One of my favorite movies is The Awful Truth, a classic from the 40s with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. It’s about this perfect couple—it’s clear to everyone that they’re meant to be together, but by the second scene they’re heading toward divorce. When my husband and I were first married (we recently had our 20th anniversary) we’d have these big fights—actually, the same fight over and over. And I started wondering, what would happen if we went too far one night and didn’t make up the way we always do.
MBA&M: Which character in Prosper In Love do you feel you most identify with?Why?
DEBORAH: That’s an easy one: Lynn Prosper, the young wife. She and her family are based on my own flaws and experiences. Some of the fights Lynn and Jamie have—well, they’re familiar enough that rereading those pages makes me uncomfortable. At a certain point in the writing, though, I stopped thinking of her as “me.” She turned into her own separate person. The funny thing was, while writing, I started having a lot more insight and sympathy into the male character, Jamie. I don’t know if it’s coincidence or not, but my husband and I stopped having that same old fight, and I think I started trying to listen more carefully to what he was telling me when he was upset. I learned something about marriage through writing about it.
MBA&M: What do you hope your readers will gain by reading Prosper In Love?
DEBOROH: First, I simply hope they gain a few hours of pleasure. I hope reading the novel is a delightful experience, a fun summer read. I also hope it really gets readers thinking about love and marriage and the sort of choices we make. Part of Lynn’s problem at the beginning of the book is that she thinks she understands everything and knows the best answer. I think love is complicated and wonderful and often unexpected. Here’s the best compliment I’ve gotten so far: A friend of mine who’d been divorced and had kind of checked out of dating read Prosper in Love, and she said it made her feel like getting out there and giving dating another try. I can’t tell you how happy that made me.
MBA&M: What where the challenges in writing this genre?
DEBORAH: That’s a good question. I don’t know about the genre as a whole, but for me the big challenge with Prosper in Love was making two conflicting things believable: what drew my characters together, and what kept them apart. (I hope this isn’t a spoiler!) I went through lots of drafts trying to get that balance. Do you believe Lynn and Jamie Prosper as a couple? Do you believe that they’d stay apart? Can you imagine them with anyone else? I guess what I’m saying is that the biggest challenge in any sort of novel is maybe making the characters seem alive.
MBA&M: What are some of your most interesting quirks?
DEBORAH: Oh dear, I have a lot of quirks. I’m not sure any of them are very interesting. My main writing quirk—and it’s an unfortunate one—is that to get myself writing in the morning, I basically need to keep feeding myself to keep me at my desk. When I first started trying to write, it took something I really loved, like almond croissants or bear claws, do the trick, and I’d eat them very slowly in tiny bites. Now I drink pots and pots of tea all day. I switch types according to the time of day so I feel like I’m making progress.
MBA&M: What is the first book you remembering reading?
DEBORAH: That would be Dr. Seuss’s One Fish Two Fish—and what I actually remember is sitting next to my little sister who’s two years younger, and reading it aloud to her.
MBA&M: What is some of your life’s passion, other than writing, of course?
DEBORAH: Definitely reading! Sometimes I’m embarrassed that I really have no other hobbies. Well, I love movies, too, and art—but only looking at it. I’m hopeless as an artist. My best friend used to be an art historian and art critic, so I really learned a lot walking through museums and galleries with her. That’s probably how Lynn ended up in the art world. Like Lynn, I don’t cook and I love eating out in restaurants. My poor family, I’m not very domestic.
MBA&M: Do you have any regrets in your writing?
DEBORAH: I wish I’d worked harder and more productively early on. I was very scattered. Ironically, when my twins were born and I had hardly any time to myself, that’s when I really buckled down. Then again, those more leisurely years were also spent reading and sitting around talking to people or watching them, all of which feeds into writing.
MBA&M: What’s next for you?
DEBORAH: Another novel! I’m hard at work. Sadly, without breakfast pastries.
MBA&M: Please tell our readers where to find you and where Prosper In Love is available?
DEBORAH: Readers can find me at www.deborahmichel.net, and if they click on “Book Groups,” they’ll see that I’m available for call-ins or Skyping with book groups, schedule permitting. I’m really excited about this because I have all sorts of questions myself about love and marriage and what happens to my characters. I’d love the opportunity to hear what readers think. Prosper in Love can be found at Barnes and Noble, Books-a Million, Amazon, and your local independent bookseller.
Deborah, do you have anything else to add?
Just what a privilege it is to be here talking with you and your readers. I still haven’t gotten used to the idea that there are going to be people out there (who aren’t related to me) reading my novel. Thank you so much.
Thank you for visiting with us and our readers today!!What a pleasure and honor to have you with us and our readers today!!Good luck!!
_______
AVAILABLE AT:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million IndieBound
PROPER IN LOVE
DEBORAH MICHEL
Reading level:Ages 18 and up
Paperback:336 pages
Publisher:Berkley Trade (May 1, 2012)
Language:English
ISBN-10:0425247279
ISBN-13: 978-0425247273
Book Description(from Amazon)
________
**GIVEAWAY ALERT**
*Sponsored by the publisher*
*Prize mailed directly from the publisher*
We are proud to offer 1 lucky commenter a print copy of Deborah Michel’s “Prosper in Love”. *Open to U.S. residents only! No P.O. Boxes,please!Giveaway will run from today June 6 until June 13,2012.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE AND HAPPY READING!!
_______
**COMING SOON**
Our “Thoughts” on “Prosper in Love” by Deborah Michel!!
_____________
Please help spread the word about the talented debut author Deborah Michel!! We hope you have enjoyed your time with our guest today!!Please come again,soon!!
This story sounds special and would be enjoyable. An interesting interview.
absolutely love this concept, I tend to began to look at my own relationships more closely..
It's quite true. When you're married, for some reason, we just ended up not listening to each other. We allow outside influence our married lives (parents, sisters, brothers, relatives, and friends). Somehow, we have to start knowing each other all over again just like we were dating for the very first time.
I like the premise for the book. It sounds interesting.